Apparatus for releasing carbonic-acid gas



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

G. P. A. CONVERT.

APPARATUS FOR RELEASING OARBONIG ACID GAS. No. 518,587. Patented Apr. 24, 1894.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

O. F. A. CONVERT. APPARATUS FOR RELEASING GARBONIG ACID GAS.

No. 518,587. iPatented Apr. 24, 1894.

. UNITE STATES PATENT OFFrcE.

CHARLES F. A. CONVERT, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

APPARATUS FOR RELEASI NG CARBONlC-ACID GAS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 518,587, dated April 24, 1894.

Application filed April 18, 1893. Serial No. 470,832. (No model.)

for Releasing Carbonic-Acid Gas; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a novel apparatus for releasing carbonic acid from the drums drums or cylinders in a liquid state.

in which it is contained, and conducting it to such place or places where it is desired to carbonate liquids.

The object of this invention is to provide an apparatus to accomplish the above stated object in an expeditious and efficient manner. The invention consists in the features of construction and combinations of parts of the apparatus, all of which is hereinafter fully described and specifically claimed.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating my improved apparatus, Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of an apparatus constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary View partly in elevation and in cross section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, and on an enlarged scale. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary detail sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4. is a fragmentary detail view. Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5--5 of Fig. 3.

In the art, as at present practiced, the carbonic acid employed for carbonating beer and other beverages is contained within 11 releasing said gas from the drums to inject into the beer or. other beverage, great trouble has been experienced by reason of the rapid expansion of the acid, in evaporating, due to the removal of pressurejunder which it is held in the drums, and this rapid evaporation of the acid has the effect of producing such intense cold as to clog the apparatus so that it is necessary to discontinue the operation and get the parts in working order. To obviate this objection I lead the pipes or passages through which the acid passes on its way from the drums to the point where it is used through suitable devices for heating said pipes, so as passages- This pressure regulating device serves to reduce the pressure of the acid, so

that whenit is mixed with the liquid to be carbonated in the gaseous state too much expansion will not occur.

In the accompanying drawings Ihave shown an apparatus constructed in accordance with my invention, and will now proceed to de-' scribe the same.

A indicates a platform upon which all the apparatus is mounted and which is conveniently supported by wheels 1 so that it can be easily moved from place to place. The platform A is provided with an uprising fiangeZ around its upper edges to make a trough to receive any drippings from the apparatus supported thereon. Mounted upon said platform are cylinders B open at their upper ends and communicating at their lower ends with pipes 3 for supplying steam thereto to heat water which may be contained within said cylinders B. The pipes 3 are coupled toasupply pipe 4 communicating with a suitable source supplying steam. Near each end of the platform is located a post 5 and upon the upper ends of these posts is secured a beam 6 upon which the remaining parts of the apparatus are mounted.

In accordance with the principle involved by my invention the apparatus is arranged for use in connection with any desired number of carbonic acid drums to be emptied, and it will be understood, therefore, that the number of heating cylinders 13 can be varied in accordance with the capacity of the apparatus, and that further the number of valves for controlling the escape of the acid from the drums can be varied. In the present instance, however, I have illustrated an apparatus for emptying six drums at the same time, and for this purpose it is necessary to secure the best cheats in. the most eificient manner to provide an apparatus capo.

, can at the same time be replaced, so that as soon as the first six are emptied the emptying of-the remaining drums can be commenced while the emptied drums can be replaced. Upon the platform A are arranged a plurality of sockets or bases 7 in which the lower end of the drums 8 that contain the carbonic acid can rest, and above each of said sockets and mounted upon the beam 6 I arrange the valve and coupling 0, by means of which the drum can be coupled with the valve and the escape of the acid control-led. As the valves and coupling devices are similarly constructed a description of one will suffice.

The'drums 8'a-re provided at theirupper ends witha nozzle 9' which extends at right angles tot'he drum and is screw threaded. Mounted upon the beam 6 is a valve 10 that'is provided with a lateral branch pipe 11 extending outwardly, and upon said branch pipe 11 acoupling sleeve 12is revolubly mounted and providedat its outer end with a screw-threaded enlargement 13 to receive the screw-threaded nozzle 9 of the drum. 8, In this way it will be seen that when it is desired to connect the drums S'Wit-h the valve 10 saiddru ms 8 are first mounted in their sockets 7 with the nozzle 9 turped toward the valve and located within the end of the enlargement 13 of the coupling sleeve.' Then by turning said coupling sleeve 12, by means of the hand-wheel 14, the branch pipe 11 of the valve and theend' of thenozzle 9 will be forced together with their openings-oppositeeach other to make a tight joint between said parts. The drums 8 are, of course, controlled by separate valves 15 in the usual manner. In this way it will be seen that by opening the valve 15 of the drum and the valve 10 of theapparatus the acid can escapefrom the drum, and leading from the valve 10 is a pipe or passage 16 that leads toa coupling 17. The said coupling 17 is provided with a plurality of ports 18, as clearly shown in Fig. 5, so that a plurality of the pipes 16 leading from several of the valves 10 can communicate at this point. In the instance illustrated I connect four of said valve stems with each coupling 17 and therefore use three of such couplings, and these are fastened to the lower post of the beam 6. 'All of said couplings are connected with each other by pipes 19 that extend between the same and communication is established between the 17 and having two ports 21.

municate at their opposite ends by means of pipes or passages 22 connected Eli/H1811 oppositeends with the ends ofthe pipes 19 and with the inlet port of said pressure regulating device.

The pipes 23 communicate'with the outlet ports of said pressure or regulating devi'c'esand are used to convey the gas to the point where it is to be used.

I pass the pipe 22 through a suitable device for heating the same to counteract the effect of the cold produced by the rapid expansion of the acid, and in the particular construction shown I coilthe pipe 22 and locate said coil within the cylinder B upon the platform. The said cylinder B can, of course, be

filled with hot water and theaci'd in passing through the coil of pipes therein, indicated by 24, will be raised in temperature.

As a still further improvement I have con structed my apparatusso-that it can accommodate any drum placed therein. In regard to this feature it may be well to state that although all the drums are of the same capacity, yet it is found in. practice thatthesaid drums vary in length so that the nozzle 9 of the drum would not be opposite the end of the coupling sleeve in. all cases, unless the drums were of the same exact length. To

' overcome this objection the valvelO is made adjustable in height upon the beam 6, a hdin the particular construction shown the base 25 of said valve 1.0 is located within aguide plate 26 fastened upon the beamtland 1s free to slide up and down therein except when held rigidly by a thumb screw 27 that passes through the sides of the guide 26, as shown in Fig. 4. To permit the upand down movement of the valve 10 a fiexi-bleveonnection 1s interposed in the pipe 16 connecting sard valve with the coupling 17, so as to permit such movement of thevalve and attain the communication between said parts. Such yielding connection between the valve and the coupling 17 can be attained in various i ways, but as a preferred construction I make Eseveralturns in the pipe which serve as spring loops and thus form a yielding con nection.

The parts being constructed and arranged as above described, the operation is as follows: When the drums are placed within ft'heir sockets a thumb screw 27 controlling the valve 10 is loosened and said valve moved to bring the end of the coupling sleeve 120pposite the nozzle of the drum. The drum is then coupled to the valve and the thumb 5 screw tightened to hold the parts rigidly in position; I that we are about to begin the operation of the apparatus. are then secured in place, but the valves of i the drums on one side of the apparatus and 1 the valves 10 on such side of the apparatus are closed. The valves; of the drums and the apparatus on the other side are open and the WVe will suppose, for illustration,

The full number of drums carbonic acid allowed to pass through the valve and intermediate passages to the coils IIO i have found that the intense cold is counteracted by the heat thus imparted to it and con gelation is effectually avoided. When these 1 six drums are emptied their valves and the valves of the apparatus with which they are connected are closed, and then the valves of the other drums and the corresponding valves of the apparatus are opened and the opera tion continued. The emptied drums are then uncoupled from the apparatus and removed and replaced by full drums, which, when the drums are being used or emptied, are brought into play, and so on.

I claim as my invention 1. In an apparatus of the kind specified, the combination with the main frame, of a valve adj ustably mounted thereon, a coupling upon said valve, and a yielding connection between said valve and a coupling 17 upon the main frame and establishing communication between said parts, and pipes or passages communicating with said coupling 17, substantially as described.

2. In an apparatus of the kind specified, the combination with the main frame, of a valve adj ustably mounted thereon, a coupling upon said valve, a yielding connection between said valve and a coupling 17 in the main frame consisting of 1 a flexible pipe or passage comm unicating at its opposite ends with said valve and coupling, and pipes or passages communicating with said coupling 17, substantially as described.

3. In an apparatus of the kind specified, the combination with the main frame, of a plurality of valves mounted thereon and provided with couplings,a coupling 17 upon said main frame, a plurality of pipes or passages communicating with said valves and with said coupling 17, and pipes or passages leading from said coupling 17, substantially as described.

4. In an apparatus of the kind specified, the combination with the main frame, of a plurality of valves adjustably mounted thereon and provided with couplings, a coupling 17 upon said main frame, a plurality of yielding connections between said valves and coupling 17 and establishing communication between said parts, and pipes or passages leading from said coupling 17, substantially as described.

5. In an apparatus of the kind specified,the

combination with the main frame,of a guide 1 plate 26 mounted thereon, a valve adjustably secured upon said guide plate and provided with a coupling, and pipes or passages leadin g from said valve, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES F. A. CONVERT.

Witnesses:

HARRY COBB KENNEDY, RUDOLPH W. Low. 

